Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-01-08
THE TOLL SYSTEM.
Another Way by which Counties May
Secure the Blessings Of
Good Roads.
macadamized Highways n Necessity IL
These Modern T:mes-How They
May be Obtained.

To the Editor of the Gazette.
The question of good county roads is
becoming more important every dsy to
the people of Tarrant county and of
North Texas. Railroads have come aud
brought their inflow of population, slim
ulatlng production and building up large
and tiourishing towns. But as our
black lands are fenced into lanes, as is
the case with much Of Tarrant county,
they become practically impossible under
the influence of the winter rains and
freezes. As these generally come before
the cotton season is over, ami sometimes
in the height of it, the effect is most
severely felt by our retail merchants,
next to the farmers themselves. To them,
the problem of how to secure good coun-
try roads, has become of the first i'm
portance.
l have read with much pleasure many
of the replies on this subject by county
judges and other officials, 10 inquiries
heretofore sent out by THE GAZETTE,
Many of their suggestions are meritori-
Gus, but all that have noticed fail short
of practical solution of the difficulty, in
that they seem to contemplate only q
piece-meal system, by inefficient taxation,
or by the warning of hands, according to
the ancient plan.
1t is plain, however, that neither the
primitive system heretofore in vogue, nor
any notifications of it, will any longer
answer the purpose. 1t could only be
tolerated in early times, when the prairies
were open, and the roads as wide as the
traveller chose to make them, no work
being absolutely necessary except st the
crossing of streams.
Nothing less than q complete system of
macadamized roads will meet the ext
gency. This can never be accomplished
by the old plan of neighborhood work.
Besides, that plan is essentially unjust,
because 1t requires men to work the roads
who have no interest in them, and ex-
empts others who have the greatest inter-
est.
Neither would taxation alone answer
the purpose, because the enormous
amount necessary to insure US q good
system OF roads could not be raised at
once by that means. 1t does not seem
advisable either to undertake the scheme
of issuing for the purpose of building
roads and bridges, county bonds, pay
able-principal and interest-by taxation.
The amount necessary would entail heavy
Indebtedness, and while, in the opinion
Of the writer, the increasing prosperity
that would follow the establishment of
first-class highways would enable any
community to pay by taxation, without
feeling it, within q reasonable time, bonds
bearing reasonable interest; yet such q
scheme would no doubt be so unpopular
that it need not be mentioned.
1t has been suggested that the stete of
Texas adopt the plan successfully put in
operation in some CT the other states,
that of allowing private companies to
macadamize the roads and charge tolls.
This is probably superior to any of the
other plans yet suggested, but is open to
the objection, among others, that it
entails perpetual charge upon the
public, under which the people gradually
grow FESTIVE, until the system becomes
exceedingly unpopular.
l beg leave to suggest through THE
GAZETTE medium plan, which 1t is
hoped will obyiate many of the obiec-
tions mentioned, and on investigation
meet with general approval.
Let the legislature authorize the COM
missioners' courts to issue county bonds
to any amount within specified maxi
mum limit which they may deem neces-
sary to raise means to supply the particE-
lar county with all the roads and bridges
required, and make it the duty of such
courts to provide for the levying of tolls
in a sufficient amount to meet the interest
and sinking fund on the bonds and keep
the roads in repair. By this plan the ma
turity of the bonds could be put off far
enough to make light the charges upon
the travelling public, and at the same time
the community could look forward to the
time when the debt would be liquidated,
and it would be blessed with magnifl-
cent system of free highways.
Invite discussion of the suggestions
here made, and if the plan is deemed
feasible, the attention of the legislature
ought to be called to it at the present
session. There may be constitutional
difficulties. If so they should be over
come by amendment. What we want is
action, prompt action by the legislature.
Good country roads we must have soon,
or our prosperity will be UNNECESSARILY
dwarfed. W. s. PENDLEToN.
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